Lalit Modi FIRES strong message at Kavya Maran’s SRH over Pakistan star row in The Hundred, says…

The Sunrisers Leeds owned by Kavya Maran face heat after signing Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred auction, with the move igniting a major row among fans.

The Hundred, Kavya Maran, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sunrisers Leeds, SRH, Lalit Modi, Abrar Ahmed, The Hundred auction, Abrar Ahmed in Sunrisers Leeds, Kavya Maran's Sunrisers Leeds — Lalit Modi FIRES strong message at Kavya Maran’s SRH over Pakistan star row in The Hundred (Source:SRH)

After Kavya Maran owned Sunrisers Leeds acquired Abrar Ahmed for Rs 2.34 crore in the inaugural The Hundred auction in London on Sunday, a major controversy erupted. The move sparked massive backlash, with Sunrisers Leeds X account even facing temporary suspension. Notably, Pakistan players have been barred from the Indian Premier League and have not featured in the tournament since its inaugural 2008 season.

Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, strict measures were introduced regarding the participation of Pakistan players in the Indian Premier League. As a result, most Indian franchises avoided signing Pakistan cricketers. However, the Sunrisers chose to take a different route in this case.

Lalit Modi fired a strong message to Sunrisers Leeds

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi took to X (formerly twitter) and sent a strong message to Sunrisers Leeds, “Investing 2.34 crore on a Pakistani player when the fans are already on edge? I know a thing or two about managing optics and building empires. Call me.”

The caption of the post read, “Controversy over #players has hit @thehundred with the @sunrisersleeds.” Kavya Maran is the owner of Sunrisers franchise which also has teams in the IPL and the SA20.

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Controversy over #players has hit @thehundred with the @sunrisersleeds pic.twitter.com/xBgnmwcgf4
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) March 16, 2026

Although no names were directly mentioned, the amount, reference to a Pakistan player, and the timing of the post strongly suggest what Lalit Modi was hinting at.

Modi left India in 2010 after allegations of tax evasion, money laundering

Modi, who is facing serious charges in India, has been living in the UK. He left India in 2010 amid allegations of tax evasion, money laundering, and proxy ownership linked to the cash-rich Indian Premier League. The Enforcement Directorate had accused him of manipulating the allocation of IPL broadcast rights in 2009, allegedly in return for a kickback exceeding Rs 125 crore.

Earlier, in December 2025, Lalit Modi issued an apology to the Indian government just days after a viral video in which he referred to himself and Vijay Mallya as the two “biggest fugitives,” a remark seen as a swipe at India.

However, Modi did not clarify what exactly he was apologising for in his post on X, “I apologise if I have hurt anyone’s feelings, especially the Indian Government, for whom I have the highest respect and regard. The statement was misconstrued and was never intended to be as played out. Once again, my deepest apologies,” he wrote.